Coin controlled timed service device



Oct. 2, 1934. T. A. lSELE COIN CONTROLLED TIMED SERVICE DEVICE Filed Dec. 5, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR- TfiomawAJJele BY I M ATTORNEY- Oct. 2, 1934. T. A. ISELE COIN CONTROLLED TIMED SERVICE DEVICE Filed Dec. 5, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR- HOMJIJA Dale W A TORNEY- Oct. 2, 1934. T. A. ISELE 1,975,461

COIN CONTROLLED TIMED SERVICE DEVICE Filed Dec. 5, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 "Him.. "Huh.

Zzyi V V fl- 86 I a A INVE TOR- !5 fiag awfl. 1%?{6 fiw ATTORNEY- Oct. 2*, 1934. T. A. ISELE COIN CONTROLLED TIMED SERVICE DEVICE 9 Sheets-Shet 4 Filed Dec. 5, 1932 m. V i: i x fiwt v "NIH: II a 1E..,| I'M/K4: fi o o INVENTOR- Tfi0maJAlreZe M ATTORNEY- Oct. 2, 1934. T. A. lSELE 9 94 COIN CCNTROLLED TIMED SERVICE DEVICE Filed Dec. 5, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 6.7 106' 1; 36 9 as w 1 119 29 9 62 2 1,332 113 25 7 i 1 120 I j I j k :5 W i 4 .42 -1Z0 34 W129 127 t INVENTOR Oct. 2, 1934. T. A. lSELE COIN CONTROLLED TIMED SERVICE DEVICE Filed Dec 5, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Oct. 2, 1934. T. A. ISELE 1,975,

COIN CONTROLLED TIMED SERVICE DEVICE Filed Dec. 5, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR- Tkagarfljmle Ma ATTORNEY- Oct. 2, 1934. T. A. lSELE COIN CONTROLLED TIMED SERVICE DEVICE 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Dec. 5, 1952 INVENTOR- TfiomawA. IJEZG M ATTORNEY- Oct. 2, 1934. E E 7 1,975,461

COIN CONTROLLED TIMED SERVICE DEVICE Filed Dec. 5, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 77507220.!14 Bel 6 Patented Oct. 2, 1934 OFFICE com CONTROLLED TIME!) DEVICE SERVICE Thomas A. Isele, Richmond Hill, N. Y., assignor to Superior Meter Company, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 5, 1932, Serial No. 645,792 27 Claims. (01. 194 55)' Coin controlled devices are extensively employed for rendering conveniently available to the public a wide variety of service. The construction and manner of operation of the coin controlled mechanism of such a device is to a considerable extentdetermined by the nature of the service to be rendered available. The. coin controlled device of my present invention, as herein disclosed in several forms thereof, is in the nature of a timed service-supplying device, for inaugurating the service to be supplied therebyand then, after a predetermined period. of time has elapsed,- for discontinuing such service, so that thereby the service rendered available is provided only over a predetermined limited period of time, for each coin controlled operation of the device. While the coin controlled service- 'supplying device of my present invention is shown hereinas in timed control of a supply of combustible gas, it is .to be understood as within the scope of my invention that it may beernployed, should occasion arise, for rendering other forms of timed service where a substantially similar manner of operation is.-required.

At the present time an advantageous particu lar field of: utility of thetimed service coin controlled device of my inventionv is for'the convenient making of installment payments by the purchaser on the purchase price of a gas-using appliance, such as a gas ran e, for example; and also to facilitate the convenient making of col lections by a representative of thedealer who has sold such an appliance subject to such payments. Such payments, to be efiected by the coin controlled operation of the. device of my invention, may be made at convenient periods. The particular embodiments of my invention disclosed herein are designed to provide service over a twenty-four hour period, although so far as the scope of my invention is concerned such period of timed functioning to provide service could be either for a longer or shorter interval of time,

as may be desired for particular installations or conditions of service. The capacity of the coin receptacle within the enclosing casing may of course be substantially anything desired depending upon the convenience oimakirig collections, which, merely for example, could be weekly, more or less, or at other. regular or irregular periods, In carrying out my invention, the outer casing, which houses the operating mechanism of the device and also contains the collection or" deposited coins, is not only securely locked but is, especially devisedand constructed in a manner so as to prevent access thereto by tampering.

The coin controlled timed servicedevice of my inventionmay be easily connected into the supply pipe leading to a gas range or other gasusing appliance. The coin controlled operating mechanism or" the timed service device itself embodies a gas service valve which is normally closed and which is opened by the coin controlled mechanism when a coin controlled operation of such device is initiated, there being no other way of opening this valve. At the end of the predetermined period of service, this valve is automatically closed by the functioning of the timing feature of the device of my invention. The service provided, such as the flow of a supply of combustible gas, will then be automatically discontinued until another similar coin controlled operation" is elfected.

In one desirable embodiment of my invention disclosed herein, the service provided may be rendered continuous or without intermission merely by keeping the device supplied with coins in advance so that it will not run empty in that respect. In all of the herein disclosed examples of'my invention, a plurality of coins may be safely inserted in advance, up to the capacity of the device in that respect, to be'subsequently used in successive coin controlled operations of the device. Also it might be here noted that in each of the particular embodiments of my invention disclosed herein the coin controlled timing operation of the'mechanism is effected by means of an energy storing device which is shown as a spring of the volute type, which of course requires winding, for driving a clock mechanism by which the timing is efiected.

My invention includes various features of construction and combinations of parts, as will appear from the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, and as pointed out in the'appended claims.

In. order to enable a quicker grasping and clearer comprehension of myinvention and of the several constructions shown in the drawings for carryingit out, it will here be noted in apreliminary way that:. the first five sheets of the drawingsjhaving thereon Figures 1 'to 15 inclusive, .illustratetone practical embodiment of the device of my invention; sheet 'siX, with Figures Is and 17, shows a somewhat different practical embodiment; sheets seven and eight, containing Figures I8 to 21 inclusive, show another form of my invention which embodies desirable improve ments and simplification, Figure v20 showing a' variation in construction as compared with Figures 18 and 19; while sheet nine, carrying Figures 22 to 26 inclusive, illustrates a desirable improved construction over that shown in Figure 21 on sheet eight.

More particular reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings, in which similar parts are designated by similar reference numerals, and following a particular description of the illustrated constructions, the invention will be pointed out in claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete timed service coin controlled device in which one form of my invention is embodied.

Figure 2 is a front-to-rear vertical section of the casing only as viewed from the right in Figure 1, with dash lines indicating the open position of the swinging bottom closure or door.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 1- is a front elevation of the casing back together with the rear portion of the opened bottom closure, the outer part of the casing comprising the front, sides and top having been removed.

Figure 5 is an enlarged front view in vertical section substantially on the zig-zag line 5-5 of Figure 6, showing the operating mechanism, in its normal condition of rest, mostly in front elevation but partly broken away, of the embodiment of my invention which is indicated in general in Figure 1, broken lines indicating the open position of the botom closure of the casing.

Figure 6 is a vertical section on the zig-zag line 6-6 of Figure 5, broken lines indicating the bottom closure as partly open.

Figure '7 is a rear elevation of the operating mechanism shown as removed from the casing, with some of the hidden parts shown in broken lines and with other parts in vertical section.

Figure 8 is for the most part an edge elevation of the rear mechanism-supporting plate together with parts of the mechanism carried thereby as viewed from the right and indicated by the line ,5 8-8 in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a partial horizontal section on the line 9--9 of Figure '7.

Figure 10 is a rear elevation similar to Figure 7, but showing the operating parts at an intermediate position of their operation.

Figure 11 is a partial horizontal section on the line 11-11 of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a partial elevation as viewed from the left in the lower part of Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a horizontal section on the line 13-l3 of Figure 5, with parts broken out and. other parts omitted.

Figure 14 is a disassembled rear perspective view of a number of directly associated co-operating parts of the mechanism.

Figure 15 is a similar front perspective view of other parts of the mechanism.

Figure 16 is a front elevation in general similar to Figure 5, but showing a modified embodiment I of my invention.

Figure 17 is a partial side elevation as viewed from the right in Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a partial front elevation in general similar to Figure 5, showing a further modified form of my invention.

Figure 19 is a side elevation as viewed from the right in Figure 18.

Figure 20 is a front elevation similar to Figure 18, showing a modification of the construction I illustrated in Figures 18 and 19. r

Figure 21 is a rear elevation as viewed from the rear in Figure 18 and from the right in Figure 19.

Figure 22 is a rear elevation similar to Figure 21, but illustrating another modified embodiment of my invention.

Figure 23 is an edge or side elevation as viewed from the right in Figure 22.

Figure 24 is a partial horizontal section on the line 2424 of Figure 22.

Figure 25 is a similar view showing the manner of operation in moving the last coin when there is no other coin in the coin chute.

Figure 26 is a rear perspective view of the coin pusher.

With further particular reference to the accompanying drawings, the essentially related but specifically more or less different forms or variant embodiments of the timed service coin controlled device of my invention which are illjus trated in the drawings will now be particularly described in the above noted successive orderin which they appear in the drawings. The several forms of the illustrated device are constructed throughout of suitable metal.

The protective outer casing has a strong back plate 1. A casing cover part 2, which maybe desirably formedinone piece, asshown in the drawings, comprises a front together with opposite sides and atop} This casing cover part 2 telescopes over theedges of the back plate 1 at the top and sides. Within the casing the top of the part 2 fixedly carries a catch strip 3 which engages downwardly behind a keeper strip 4 fixed on the back plate 1. Thus the top of the outer casing part 2 may be securely locked to the top of the back plate 1 merely by moving it inwardly and downwardly. A casing bottom 5 is telescopically received within the casing walls formed by its back 1 and outer cover part 2. This 1 bottom 5 is hinged at 5A along its rear edge to open downwardly and rearwardly and may swing on a pintle pin 6 which is entirely within the casing and which therefore cannot be removed. One of the knuckles of this hinge is formed on 1 the bottom 5 and the other may be formed on the lower edge of the back plate 1. An inclined strip 7 which is fixedly secured to the casing back 1 within the casing, prevents the accidental lodging of coins on the hinge. In the casing 1 construction shown in'the drawings, the front cover part 2 is further secured in place by means of lugs 8, 8 thereon, with downwardly headed screws 9, 9 passing upwardly through these lugs and screwed into anchor lugs 10, 10 which are 1 fixed on the back plate 1.

The casing bottom 5 is desirably formed in one piece, as shown, to include side walls and a front wall, these walls being shown as narrow, with the edges of the side walls inclined upwardly from the rear. The bottom 5 is provided with a keeper lug 11 which is shown as struckinwardly from the upper margin of its front wall. The lower margin of the front wall of the casing cover part 2 carries a suitable lock 12 which is fixed thereon. against removal from the outside by means of an inner collar 13. A swinging bolt or catch 14 of this lock terminates in a hook lug which in its locking position engages beneath the keeper lug 11 of the'closed bottom 5, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Combined supporting and spacing studs or lugs 15, 15, shown as six in number, are fixed on the casing back plate 1 at the inner side thereof. The operating mechanism is supported by means of these studs 15, as will presently appear. 7 r l 1 T "It is to be noted thatthe above described enclosingcasing has no outwardly exposedscrews, and there is no way of obtaining unauthorized access to theinteriorof the locked casing; It will be noted that the look 12.not only looks the hingedbottomfi but also looks the casing cover part: 2- in. place. Accumulated coins may be emptied out merely by unlocking-the bottom 5; which forms a receptacle for these coins; It is to be understood that substantially the same casing construction is employed inthe variant illustrated forms of the device of my invention.

main frame plate 16 of the operating mechanism is secured on the frontends of the casing studs by means of screws 17, 17. A gas cham-' ber 18, which is a, valvechamber or lalve body, havinga front closure or cover plate 19, is fixedly mounted on the lower part, of "the main plate 16 at the front thereof by means'of interposed spacers 2Q, 20. The valve chamber 18 is 0011', nected intov a gas supply pipe-having an induction section 21 atthe left and an eduction-section 22at the right which pass snugly through the side walls of the casing part 2. The pipe sec-'- tion 21 is screwed into or otherwise secured to a tubular boss 23 on one side of the chamber 18 and the pipe section 22 is-similarlysecuredina similar tubular boss 24011 the other side of this'chamber. ,l m The main plate 16 at its back has a vertical rearwardly slotted flat coin chute 25 fixed thereto. The upper end of this coin chute registers with a transverse coin slot 26 in thex'top of the casing part2and is closed at its lower end by the upper'edge of ahorizontal plate 27; which provides a support for a first or lowermost coin 28. (Figures 6, 7, 9, 10 and 12) which has'desoended fiatwise through the coin chute. -As will hereinafter clearly appear, as many coins as desired may be inserted at any time until the coin chute 25is filled. l

In the particular construction now being de-. scribed a horizontally elongated tubular boss 29 is fixed on the left hand edge of the main plate 16 in line with the position ofthe-coin28 and extends snugly throughthe casing part 2. An outwardly headed coin-pushergstem 30 slidably telescopes into the boss or sleeve 29 and normally projects therefrom to, the extent shown in Figures 1 and '7; A spring-winding stem'or shaft 31 projects snugly but rotatably through the front wall of the casing cover part 2. j A mechanism frame surmounting the .valve chamber l8'has front and rear plates 32 and 33 which are tied together by a'plurality of spacers 34:, 34; The spring-winding shaft31 is journaled in these. frame plates 32 and 33.. This mechanism frame is surmounted by a top frame-or auxiliary frame for other parts of the operating mechanism, more particularly for the clockwork relating to the functioning of the timing feature of the 'device of my invention. This auxiliary frame has front and rear plates35 and 36. which are tied together by a plurality of spacers 3'7; 37-.

'The'valve; chamber 18, in alignment'with its tubular outer boss23, is provided with a tubular internal gas-supplying boss or nipple 38 the. in. wardly projecting end of which forms a valve" seat, against which a movable valve member 39 is normally seated in closed position,'to be moved awaytherefromto an open position. It willbe" noted'that this valve member has through it a small aperture which in the closed position of this valvemember will provide-'a'sufiicient flow of the combustible gas to 'sustain-the'flame of a .tion of which is tubular, is

pilot burner only. The valve member 39iislpiv otallyx-carried, for slight rocking .movement,' by means of a pivot 'pin 41', on the.upper'endporj-' tion of am'upstandingvalve arm42. The valve 19. This shaft is further journaled in a locating L boss 45 -within thechamber '19 beyond which it extends rearwardly through and beyond a pack ing gland element 48. A valve-operating lever arm 47 is fixed upon the outer end of the valve sh'aft43 atathe rear of thevalve chamber =I8-'and 1 normally "extends upwardly and at an inclination towards the right, as viewed from thefront'iii Figure 5. 3 The coin-pusher'st'em' 30, the inner end-porfixed upon the outer end of a coin pushing plunger 48. 'A coiled thrust spring 49 actsbetween shoulders formed respectively in the boss 29 and the stern 30 for urging the coin plunger 48 to its outer'positionv This plunger '48 is shown as of rectangular' sha'pe in cross section (Figures 8 and 14). Its longitudinal movement'is limited by means ofastop pin 50 carried by this plunger 43 and projeotingfrom the front'side thereof beyond'the front face-of the main frame plate 16 througha'combined 11in iting and guide slot-51' in the latter (Figures 5, 7', 8,9and 11); The coinmoving plunger 48 is normally locked at its outward position by means of a latch lever 52 pivoted at' 53 on the main plate 16 at'the'front face of the latter and extending towards thelft'f; as viewed from the front in- Figures 5-and This latch 52 is notched on its upper edge'at-its free end to providea stop shoulder Hand-limit ing 1'inger 55. The projecting end portion o'f th e stop pin- 50 normally abuts against the shoulder 54 with thelitniting finger 55 of the latch lever 52 in engagement with" the lower'side of this stop pin. This latch lever 52 has formed thereon a forwardly extending a and upwardly projecting substantially U-shaped lug portion 56 which con stitutes an actuating" member thereof. A leaf spring 57 engaging with the lowerside of itsmem ber 56'pressesthe'latch lever 52 upwardly to iitfs; above noted looking position, this spring 57 lie-'- ing mounted an the main plate 16'at the'front thereof (Figures 5, Sand 15') j v j r h "It is-thought that the restofthispartiCuIaif description can be more clearly and concisely couched in terms'relating largely to the manrfer of operation of the coacting parts of the operating me'chanism of the coincontrolled timedservice device of my invention, as to the'ein'bodiment thereof now being described;

Some preliminaryinformatioh'of a general na ture seems advisable at thispointf For'opening the gas valve 39 and-starting the timing operation of the cloclnvo'rlz' mechanism by which thi's'val've is eventuallyclo'sedat th'e'end of the predeter mined peri'odof service the mechanism "then automatically resetting itself in normal condi tion for the next succeeding coin controlled "operation, it is advisable to proceed substantially as follows: First) insert one" or more coins through the coin slot: 26. The device of my :invention will use but one coin, such as' '28; at a time for each oompleteloperation; the remaining coins in the coin ohute-25 being held in reserve for silo-= cessive use 'at subsequent operations ofi suoh de vice. Next, the spring-winding shaft 31 should 50' operation.

It may be here further noted that this particular embodiment of my invention has what in effect amounts to two geared-together and otherwise interconnected operating mechanisms, each .of which has its own energy-storing operating spring, both of these springs being wound by means of the single winding shaft 31. One of these mechanisms operates the gas valve 39 in its opening and closing movements and the other mechanism is a timing clock in control of the nisms.

closing of this valve. There is also what may be designated as the coin controlled mechanism, which is interconnected in co-operating relation with bothof the above noted operating mecha- Thus there is produced a unitary coorganization of co-operating parts and features in the coin controlled timed service device of my invention.

In this particular embodiment of my invention, when the unlocked coin-moving plunger 48 .is pushed inward, for initiating a coin controlled operation, a lug 58 fixed on the upper side thereof adjacent its forward face at first moves idly in a-corner groove 59 provided in a slidable coin guard stop 60, until the lug 58 reaches and abuts against the end of this groove 59, whereupon the coin stop 60 will be moved inward by the coin plunger 48 (Figures 7, 8, 9, and 14) This inward movement of the coin guard projects its inwardly and downwardly sloping inner end into the coin chute 25, which is provided with a clearance notch 61 for this guard 60 (Figures 6, 7 and 10). This prevents the descent of a second :coin immediately after the coin plunger 48 has automatically returned to its outer normal position.

This coin guard 60 slides in a guideway provided by a small bracket 62 which is secured on the rear face of the main frame plate 16; This guard slide 60 is urged outwardly to its normal ineffective position by a leaf spring 63 anchored at its upper end to the bracket 62 and engaging at its lower free end in a notch 64 in the top of the slide 60. When this coin guard slide 60 is pushed to its inner position, as above described, it is held against return movement by a dog or pawl 65 having at its upperend a pivot 66 on the bracket 62. From its pivot 66 the pawl 65 inclines inwardly and has a V-shaped lower end which then has locking engagement in a V-notch 67 in the top of the slide 60. The pawl 65 is pressed to its engaging position by a leaf spring 68, anchored at its upper end to the bracket 62 and engaging with a ,rearwardly turned ear or lug 69 on the pawl 65. "At its outward edge this pawl 65 is shown as provided with another similar lug or ear 70 whichis utilized for releasing the pawl 65, for the next succeeding coin controlled operation, through the operation of parts to be described later. It will be noted that the top of the guideway provided by the bracket 62 has through it a slot 71 for accommodating the guard-retracting spring 63 and the locking pawl 65.

. Below the lower end of the rearwardly groovedmain plateof the coin chute 25, the main frame plate 16 has an outwardly inclined lug 72 struck rearwardly therefrom which directs the outer edge portion of the coin 28 rearwardly outwards (Figure 9). The inner edge of this coin 28, which is in its right hand edge as viewed in Figures 7 and 9, is similarly directed rearwardly away from the frame plate 16 by the transversely upwardly wedge-shaped end portion '73 of a coin ejector slide 74 in the normal retracted position of the latter. This ejector 74 is immediately beneath the coin-moving plunger 48 and is guided together therewith but independently thereof in a slideway provided by the upper portion of a small bracket 75 adjacently below the above noted bracket 62 and similarly secured on the rear face of the main frame plate 16. The coin-pushing end portion of the plunger 48 is cut away at '76 (Figures 9 and 14) along its side next to the main frame plate 16 in order to permit this plunger 48, as it moves the coin 28, to travel freely past the upwardly projecting coin-deflecting wedge 73 of the ejector 74. The ejector 74 is provided at the rear with a longitudi nal taper face 77 which extends from the vertical transverse wedge 73, and provides for the coin-I ejecting end of the latter being deflected into line with the coin, by the inclined lug 72, in the coin-ejecting movement of the ejector '74, as. shown in Figure 11.

As above noted and as will presently be described in detail, the coin plunger 48 only moves the coin 28 far enough to inaugurate the valveopening and timing operations of these respective mechanisms; whereas, as will hereinafter be described, the timing mechanism operates the ejector 74 to move the'coin 28 farther and effect its discharge. The coin-ejecting operation, after it has ended, is illustrated in Figures 10, l1 and 12. In its ejecting movement, the lower edge of the coin 28 slides along the top of a ledge '79 formed on the rear face of a plate 80 which is secured on the rear face of the main frame plate 16 at its left margin beyond the coin chute 25,

as viewed from the rear in Figures 7 and 10. 12

Just before the coin-ejecting movement of the coin ejector 74 is completed, the lower edge of the outwardly moving coin 28 is crowded off the ledge 79 by an inclined lug or tongue 81 which is struck back from the plate 80, and the discharged coin will drop upon the casing bottom 5. The coin 28 will be discharged or released substantially at its position shown in Figures 10 and 12, but the ejector 74 will idly continue its advancing movement for a short distance, as is shown in Figures 10 and 11. The rear face of the coin ejector 74 has therein a deep vertical rectangular notch 82, while opposite this notch the sli-deway portion of the guide bracket 75 has through it a longitudinally extending arcuate slot 83, through which the coin ejector 74, by means of its notch 82, maybe actuated in each direction of its movement.

Through theoperation of means to be described later, the timing mechanism or clock, which normally is not running, is started by the coin plunger 48 pushing a coin, such as 28, from the position thereof shown inFigure '7 almost to the position of this coin shown in Figure 10, and at the end of the period of service, which in the present instance is twenty-four hours, the clock is automatically stopped. The clock mechanism includes a timing wheel 84, shown as a large gear wheel, whichis normally stationary but which while the clock is running makes one complete rota- 15G tion and again comes to rest with the stopping of the clock. This" 24-hour timing wheel is thus rotated in a right hand or clockwise direction as Viewed from the front in Figure 5 and in a left hand or counter-clockwise direction as Viewed from the rear in Figures 7 and 10. This wheel 84 carries a rearwardly projecting timing pin 85, the stationary normal position of which is shown in Figures 5, 6,7 and 13, while in Figure 10 this pin 85 has not yet quite reached such normal position. 7

A rather long and large substantially L-shaped lever arm 86 is pivoted at its upper end, by means of a stud 87, at the rear of and in spaced relation from the main frame plate 16. This lever arm 88 extends downward along the right margin of the plate 16, as viewed fromthe rear in Figures 7 and 10, and has a lower finger projecting transversely at the rear of the lower end portion of the coin chute 25, the normal stationary position of this lever arm 87 appearing in Figure 7 and its operated position in Figure 10. The lever arm 86 is rigidly provided with a laterally bent or offset inwardly projecting actuating arm 88 the inner free end portion of which is disposed at the rear of the timed 24-hour wheel 84 in the path of its pin 85. The lever arm 86 is urged towards and normally retained at its retracted position (Figure 7) by a strong spring 89. In the construction shown in the drawings, the 24-hour timing wheel 84 will make nearly or approximately of a rotation, as is evident from Figure 7, before itspin 85 will come into engageinent with and begin to lift the actuating arn1'83 of the lever arm: 86. Obviously this will take place after about eighteen hours. This pin 85 then will slowly rock the lever arm 86 from the position shown in Figure 7 substantially to the position shown in Figure 10. In thefurther rotation of the-wheel 84, from the position of its timing pin 85 shown in Figure 10 to that shown in Figure 7, this pin passes beyond the end of andreleases the actuating arm 88 of the lever 86, whereupon the spring 89 immediately quickly retracts or snaps the lever 86 back to its normal position (Figure7).

As the lever 86 is swung by the 24-hour wheel 84 alug '90 thereon, which projects therefrom towards the main frame plate 16, abuts against the lug 70 of the pawl 65 and raises the locking 'end of the latter out of the notch 67 in the coin stop' 60, whereupon the latter is moved by its spring 63 to its outer position shown in the drawings, thereby clearing the coin chute for the next following coin, which can then descend into line with the inner end of the coin-moving plunger 48; which has been automatically returned to-its outer position by its spring 49 and there automatically locked by the upwardly spring-pressed latch lever 52, along the top of which the stop pin of the plunger 43 moves asthe latter'is retracted. The lever 86 carries another similarly projecting lug 91 which passes through the slot 83 in the bracket and engages in the notch 32 of the coin ejector 74. Thus the ejector 74 partakes 'of the movement of the lever 86 in each direction of the movement of the latter. The timed'movement of the ejector 74 will cause the endof its wedge-shaped portion 73 to discharge the coin 28 at substantially the expiration of nineteen hours, in the construction shown.

. The hereinbefore noted valve-operating mechanism for the gas valve 39 has a power-providing driving spring 92' of the convolute or clock type (Figure 13) which surrounds and is mounted -its spring 93.

upon the winding shaft 31. The outer end of this spring is connected to a spring drum or housing 93. The drum 93 is fixed upon an internal boss or hub 94: which is pinned to or otherwise fixed upon the winding shaft 31. The inner end of the spring 92 is connected to a sleeve or collar 95 which is rotatively loose on the winding shaft 31 and which at its outer or front end rigidly carries a gear 96. When the winding shaft 31 is rotated in a left hand or counter-clockwise direction for winding the spring 92 it carries the spring drum 93 with it, so that thus the spring 92 is wound from its outer end by means of the drum S3. Atits'bacl: the spring drum 93 has mounted thereon and carries a stop pawl 97 and In the winding operation thepawl 97 moves over the teeth of a ratchet wheel 99 which is fixedly secured to a gear 100 which is immediately at the back of this ratchet wheel (Figures 5, (Sand 13). Both the ratchet wheel 99 and the gear 100 are rotatively loose on the winding shaft 31, this gear together with the ratchet wheel being at this time locked by means to be escribed later.

As the spring 92 becomes wound during the Winding operation, its inner end transmits torque and rotation, in the winding direction, to the front gear 96. 'This gear 95 meshes with an upper gear 101 which is a winding gear for a driving spring or main spring 102 for the timing mechanism or clock (Figure 6). Thus both of the springs 92 and 102 are coupled together to be jointly wound up by the winding shaft 31 and whereby both of these springs-may jointly release their stored energy as they unwind, in driving the clock mechanism.

At its rear end; beyond the frame plate 33, the winding shaft 31 has fixedthereon a pinion 103 which meshes with a gear 104 which has contra'lly fixed thereto at the front thereof a singlerise wiper earn 105, so that the cam 105 will be rotated by the gear 104, the latter being rotated by the pinion 103 and the spring-winding shaft 31 during the spring-winding operation, later to be returned in a reverse direction,,by the operation of means presently to be described.

The cam 105 is so timed that, in the springwinding operation, when the operating mechanism spring 92 and the clock spring 102 have been fully wound, this cam'105 will have been moved into engagement with the top of the lug 56. This cam, acting upon the lug 56, presses down the latch lever 52 and holds it down, with the cam 105 then stationary, at the completion of the winding of the springs 92 and 102. Thus the coin-moving plunger i8 is in an unlocked condition, and the lowermost coin 28 maybe pushed from its first position shown in Figures 7 and 9 approximately to its position shown in Figure 10, by the coin plunger 43 whenthe latteris manually operated. When the coin 28 is thus moved, its upper edge engages beneath and lifts a cam end 106 of a log 107 which projectsrearwardly from the end of a coin-operated lever 108. The adjacent portion of the coin chute 25 3 frame plate 33 of the operating mechanism (Fig- .ures 5 and 13).

The lifting of the lever 108 by the coin 28 immediately starts the wound timing mechanism or clock. This clock has a usual escapement wheel 114 controlled by a usual escapement lever 115. This escapement lever is normally engaged and held against operating movement by the inner end of a two-armed controlling lever 116 having an intermediate fulcrum pivot 117. The outer end of this lever 116 has a cushioning connection to the coin lever 108, by which this controlling lever is operated, and such connection shown in the drawings will be described. The coin lever lug 107 carries a post 118 to which is pivoted the lower end of a wire or small rod 119 the upper end of which is fixed in the lower end of a tube 120. A guide wire or rod 121 pivoted to the controlling lever 116 telescopes into the upper end of the tube 1.24) for free relative sliding movement. The end of this lever 116 and the lower end portion of the tube 120 are connected together by a light double-acting or push-and-pull coiled spring 122. When the coin lever 108 is moved downward to its normal position, by means described later, it pulls upon the spring 122 which results in a cushioning or yielding contact of the inner end of the controlling lever with the escapement lever, which stops the clock without doing any harm toits escapement. When the coin lever is moved upward, as above described, the inner end of the controlling lever 116 is moved away from the escapement lever 115 by an upward push imparted to the spring 122, to start the clock at the beginning of the timing operation. In the construction shown in the drawings, after the coin 28 has been discharged, as above described, the coin lever 108 is held at its raised position by the upper edge of the end portion of the transverse finger of the L-shaped lever 86 which moves in engagement with the lower side of the cam lug 106 and so remains until this lever 86 is finally retracted at the termination of the timed period of service, so that thereby in the meantime the timing clock is kept running, in the manner above noted. Just as soon as the coin lever 108 is lifted by the advancing coin 28, it not only starts the timing clock running, as above described, but its operating lug 112 lifts a starting lever or pawl arm 123 of the valveoperating mechanism, by which the gas supply valve 39 is immediately opened with a quick motion, by power transmitted from the wound operating spring 92, through intervening operating connections now to be described.

This pawl arm 123 normally, or in the idle condition of the device of my invention shown in Figures 5 to 9 inclusive and 13, abuts downwardly against a stop pin or stud 124 which projects forwardly from the front of the rearward mechanism frame plate 33, with the coin lever lug 112 then close beneath the pawl arm 123 (Figure 5). This starting pawl 123 is fixed upon a rock shaft 125 upon which there is also fixed an upstanding tail arm 126 to which there is connected a retractile spring 127 the other end of which is anchored to one of the frame spacers 3%, in position for resiliently holding the starting pawl 123 down against its stop pin 12%. Thus the coin lever 108 raises the starting pawl 123 against the force of its spring 127, which in turn urges this coin lever downward toward its normal position.

The gear 109, as above described, has torque applied thereto by the wound spring 92, through the drum 93, pawl 97 and ratchet wheel 99, this torque being in a clockwise direction as viewed from the front and indicatedby the arrow in Figure 5. This gear 100 meshes with a smaller gear 128 which is fixed upon a rotatable shaft 123 (Figures 5, 6 and 13). Also fixed upon this shaft is a pawl-controlled controlling disc 130. This disc 130 has two diametrically opposite abut= ments 131 and 132 projecting beyond its rear face, these abutmcnts being shown as struck out therefrom in the form of circumferential tongues. These abutments are radially out of circumferential alignment, with the normally lower abutment 131 farther from the center than the other abutment 132. The free end of the pawl arm 123 normally is abutted by the lower and outermost abutment 131, as shown in Figure 5. This pawl arm 123 thus locks the ratchet wheel 99 to prevent free unwinding of the spring 92.

When this pawl arm 123 is lifted by the coin lever 108, as above described, its free end is raised into the path of the upper or inner abutient 132, the lower or outer abutment 131 then being set free. Thereupon the controlling disc 139 immediately quickly makes a one-half turn ccuntereloclnvise rotation, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 5, by reason of the torque transmitted to this disc 130 through the gear 128 from the gear 100 under the impulse of the wound spring 92. At the end of such half-turn movement the further rotation of the controlling disc 130 is stopped by its inner abutment abutting against the raised free end of the starting pawl A valve-operating crank disc 133 is fixed upon the rear end of the rotatable shaft 129 in the space between the rear frame plate 33 of the operating mechanism and the main frame plate 16. This disc 133 carries a crank pin 134, shown in Figures 5, 6 and 13 as above and in vertical alignment with the rotatable shaft 129. The crank pin 134 pivotally carries the upper end of a valve-operating link 135 which normally extends downwardly and at a slight inclination towards the right, as viewed from the front in Figure 5. The lower end of this link 135 carries a pivot pin 136 by which it is pivotally connected to the end of the valve-operating lever arm 47, for thereby first opening and then finally closing the gas supply valve 39. This pin 136 works in the lower and right hand end of a transverse slot 137 in the lever arm 17, where it is yieldingly maintained by the free end of a leaf spring 138 the other end of which is anchored to the valve-operating lever arm 17. This spring connection between the lever arm 47 and its operating link 135 will cushion the valve 39 or seat it in a yieldable manner in its closing movement; also in the valve-opening movement of the crank disc 133 it provides, in the construction shown, for the easy passage of the link 135 beyond the slight dead center relative to the of the shaft 129, as the latter rotates the crank disc 133.

It is manifest from the preceding description that when the controlling disc 130 is released by its starting pawl 123, then the crank disc 133 will be quickly rotated therewith, through a half turn, thereby bringing the crank pin 134 to a diametrically opposite lower position, thus quickly opening the 39 is thus opened by power derived from the operating spring 92. During this part of the operation, the outwardly returned coin plunger 48 will be again locked, by reason of its unlocking gas supply valve 39 by means of its swinging arm 12. It is obvious that the gas valvecam 105 moving away from the'lu'g 56 of the-latch lever 52, due to the rotation of the winding shaft 31. Accidental or incidental: reverse movement, from any cause whatever, of. the above described interconnected valve-operating parts, is 'posi tively prevented bymeans of a back-lash pawl 139 having its free end engaged at an inclination between the teeth of the gear 128,-so as thereby to provide for its forward or operating rotation while looking it against backward or reverse rotation. This back-lash pawl isxloosely pivoted on the rock shaft 125 and is constantly pressed downwardly to its engaging position with the gear 128 by means of a small retractile spring 140 connected thereto and anchored to a pin 141. It will be noted that the back lash pawl 139'locks the valve 39 against opening movement.

It has been hereinbefore noted that throughout the period of service, in this'instance twenty.-four hours, the coin op'erated lever 108 isat first held up by the coin 28, and then, after this coin has been ejected, thiscoin lever-108 isstill held up, during the remainder'of the period of service, by the end portion of the finger of the long L-shaped' lever arm 86, whereby the timing clock continues to run. It is now to be noted that during the entire 24-hour service period, this coin lever 1.03 holds the starting pawl 123 up in opposition to the force-of its spring 127 and in abutting engagement with the second orradially inner controlling disc abutment 132, so that thereby the service valve 39 is held open. When the L-shaped lever arm 86 is released by the'timing pin of the 24-hour clock wheel'84, as hereinbefore described, then the springlZ'? of the starting pawl 123 will immediately shift this pawl downward against its abutment stud or stop pin 124. Thus the pawl arm 123 is moved out of engagement with and releases the radially inner controlling disc abutment 132 and ismoved into the path of the outer abutment 131. The controlling disc 130, being again set"free, is immediately given another quick half-turn rotation, in the same direction'as before, by the mechanism spring 92, where it is stopped by its abutment 131 abutting against the-end of the pawl arm 123, this disc then having resumed its original normal position.

This last half-turn rotative movement of the crank disc 133 brings its valveoper'ating crank pin 134from its lower-or service position back to its uppermost normal position, shown in Figures 5, 6 and 13. This movement of the crank pin 134 draws upwardly upon the valve operating link 135, thereby swinging the valve-operating lever 47 upwardly and quickly closing'the gas supply valve 39 by means of the rocking'shait 43 and its upstanding valve-carrying arm 42. This valve 39 is thus closed, with a quick movement, by power transmitted from the mechanism-operating spring 92, through intervening operating connections already described.

When the coin lever 108 has been released, at

the end of the period of service, as above described, it not only tends to move downwardby its own weight but it is. rather strongly pressed downward by the starting pawl 123, by force transmitted from the rather strong spring 127 of the latter. This downward movement of the coin lever 108 causes it to draw downward on the light spring 122, through which this coin lever 108 is operatively' connected to the controlling lever 116, in a manner already described. The

stretching force thus applied to this spring 122 consequently pulls downward upon the outer arm of the controlling lever 126 and causes the free end of its'inner arm to abut against 'the es'capement lever 115 of the timing clock:- r'nechanisin. This contacting engagement of the controlling lever 116 with the escapement lever 115 is surficiently gentle not to damage the escapement and at the same time is strong enough to hold the-escapement lever 115 against rocking operating movement, only very slight force being required for this purpose. Thus the timing clock is stopped at the termination ofthe 24-hour period of service, this result being initially effected by its own 24-hour timing wheel 34, as'will be readily understood from the preceding description.

v The further rotation of the winding-shaftBl during the valve-closing and clock-stopping-op erations just described results inthe resetting of the timed card to its original normal position, so it will become eifective at the DBXt'COllI controlled operation for releasing the locked coin-j pushing plunger 48. When, at the end of the period of service, the timing pin 85 of the24-hour clock wheel 84 releases the L-shap'ed lever arm 36, as hereinbefore described, the operation of the timing clock mechanism is stopped, thef g as supply valve 39 is'closed, and also" the coin ejector 74 is retracted or reset; in fact, all parts of the entire mechanism are restored'to their original or normal position and condition, preparatoryto a subsequent similar coin controlled "operation or the coin controlled timed service device of myfin vention. f It is believed that the construction and opera, tion of this particular form of the coin controlled timed service device of my invention havejnow been fully described. I r

It might be'further noted that the timed cam 105, shown as operated by the intermeshed'pinicn 103'and gear 104. could be similarly operated'by other means, within the scope of my invention; For example, by means of a. Geneva movement similar to: that commonly used ,on clocks; In such case, the pinion 103 would be replaced by the Geneva pin or stud elementand jthe. gear 104 by the Geneva toothed or gear element; This would result in a uniformlyexact positioningof the earn 105. However, the construction shown in the drawings has been found to operate sue-' cessfully in' a practical manner. I In illustrating the-modified forms of 'construc tion .of 'the coincontrolled timed service. device of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings,.-parts of the mechanism which are'the same or substantially the same are'repeat'ed only to the extent necessary for clearly indicating their. connection and operating relation, thus avoiding unnecessary duplication in the drawin saa-nd'th'e description will proceed along similar lines, thereby contributing to both clarity and concis'enes's. the same reference numerals beinglused for the repeated similar partsv Reference will'n'owbe had to Figures 16 and 17 on sheet six of the drawings, illustratin'g' "a practically workable embodiment of the coin cone trolled timed service device of my invention'hav ing a modified form of the valveeoperating' mech:

anism. The timing mechanism or clock remains differently constructed valve-operatingmech'a- 150 nism, which is now to be particularly described, together with its interconnected'relation in the complete unitary coin controlled timed service device of my invention.

- -The gas supply valve 39 is shown as in its normally closed position. A valve-operating lever arm 142 is fixed upon the outer end of the rocking valve-operating shaft 43 and is shown as normally extending upwardly and at an inclination towards the left, as viewed in Figure 16. This lever arm 1421s shown as at the front of a mechanism frame plate 143 which corresponds in general with the main frame plate 16 in the previously described construction. In order to'show the valve 39, together with its arm 42, at the inside of the valve chamber 18, the lower part of the frame plate 143, together with some other parts, is broken away in both Figures 16 and 17 and there indicated by broken lines, but the valve-operating lever arm 142 has been shown in full lines. The upper end of this lever arm 142 carries a projecting pin 144. This pin engages in a longitudinal slot 145 in the lower end of a valve-operating lever 14 6. This valveoperating lever 146 is fulcrumed to swing on the outer end portion of a stud 147 which projects forwardly from the frame plate 143. This fulcrumlever 146' is shown as a straight lever of 7 the first order or class, having a long downwardly extending arm and a much shorter upstanding arm. g

In this construction, the valve 39 is normally held in closed condition and when open is eventuallyagain closed, for terminating the service, by means of torque which is constantly at all times applied to the valve-operating fulcrum lever 146 in a right hand or clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 16. This torque and valveoperating driving power is derived from the usual main spring of the timing clock, such as the main spring 102 shown in Figure 6. This is accomplished through the intermediary of a gear train now to be described. This is a power-multiplying and correspondingly speed-reducing train of gearing which acts upon the upper end of the shorter upper arm of the valve-operatinglever 146. During all of the time that the timing clock is running it rotates a gear wheel 148 in the clockwise direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 16. In the normal idle condition of the device the clock is not running but a torque impulse from its main spring is still applied in the same direction, to the then stationary gear wheel 148. This clock-operated gear wheel 148 is fixed upon theflend of a rotatable shaft 149 journaled in a bearing 150 which projects from the back ofthe frame plate 143, and a pinion 151 is fixed uponthe other end of this shaft 149 at the front of the frame plate 143. I

A gear wheel 152 has a smaller gear or pinion 153 fixed thereto at the front thereof, and these two axially coupled gears 152 and 153 are loosely rotatively mounted on they fulcrum stud 147 of the valve-operating lever 146 between the latter and the frame. plate 143. A fixedly axially coupled pair of idlers comprising a small gear 154 and a pinion 155 is loosely rotatively mounted gether the pinion 151, which is fixed upon the shaft .149, and the gear wheel 152, which with ,its coupled small gear 153 is looselyv rotatable upon the pivot stud 147 of the valve-operating fulcrum lever 146, the .idler gear 154 meshing with the clock-connected pinion 151, and its coupled idler pinion 155 meshing with the loosely rotatable gear wheel 152 on the stud 147.-If the gearing relation be traced, which may be done readily by the indications of the arrows, it will be found that the clock-operated gear wheel 148 transmits a torque impulse in the same rotative direction to the loosely'mounted gear wheel 152 on the stud 147 and thus to its coupledsmall gear 153. I g The short upper arm of the valve-operating lever 146 carries on its end a stud 157 which projects towards the frame plate 143. A small planetary gear 158 is loosely rotatively mounted on this stud 157 and meshes with the small gear 153, which is coupled to the larger gear 152; This planetary gear 158 is also an intermediary idler which engages or intermeshes with the lower side of the periphery of an upper gear wheel 159. This upper gear wheel 159 is fixed by means of an intermediate sleeve or collar 160, to a similar upper front gear wheel 161, for the unitary rotation of these two gear wheels as one, and with slight changes in the designing they could be merged into one. These two companion gears 159 and-161 togetherwith their coupling sleeve 160 are loosely rotatable upon a stud shaft 162 which is fixed upon and extends forwardly from the frame plate 143. These coupled upper gears 159 and 161 may be'considered as idlers, in the sense that they do not transmit motion.

In the normal idle condition of the device, in which all of the operating parts of its mechanism are'stationary, the upper front gear wheel 161 is releasably locked by means of a locking lever 163 which is pivoted on the frame. plate 143, at the right margin thereof, Figure 16), by means of'a pivot pin or'stud 164 and is spaced forwardly from this plate by a boss 165. This looking lever 163 has a lateral arm the end of'which extends just at the back of the lower portion of the upper front gear wheel 161, where the end of this arm is turned outward to form a locking lug 166 which is shown in full lines as engaged between two of the teeth of the gear 161 so that thereby this gear wheel 161 is locked against rotative movement in either direction. A retractile spring 167, shown as connected to an upstanding bell-crank tail arm of the locking lever 163, is 125 anchored to the frame plate 143 by means of a stud 168 in position for urging'the lug 166 into locking'engagement with the teeth of the gear wheel 161. It is obvious that this spring 167 could be otherwise connected to the lever 163, for example, the lateral arm of this lever might be further extended towards the left (Figure 16) be-' yond the adjacent gears, with this spring 167 then connected to such extension and positioned to urge it upwardly. I

The clock-operated gear wheel 148 is not'in itselfa timing wheel but is a power wheel for applying torque and transmitting rotation. Both this power gear 148 and the 24-hour timing gear 84 are similarly directly driven by the clock mechanism of the timing clock, (through suitable gearing connections not shown), so that thereby when the timing clock is running both of these gear wheels 84 and 148 will be rotated, and when the clock is stopped, which occurs at the end of the period of service, then both of these gear wheels, that is, the timing gear 84 and the power-transmitting gear 148, become stationary and remain so until the timing clock has been again started to run by initiating a subsequent coin controlled operation of the mechanism of the device of my invention. In this particular mechanism now being described, the opening movement of the gas supply valve 39 takes place concomitantly with the starting of the timing clock, while the closing movement or this gas valve is transmitted to it directly from the timing clock mechanism while this timing clock is still running.

In the normal stationary idle position of all Of the operating parts of the mechanism, as shown in full lines in Figure 16, it is to be noted that the gas supply valve 39 is maintained in its closed position and in sealing relation with its seat on the end of the valve chamber boss or nipple 38 by means of pressure applied to this valve by the stopped timing clock, this pressure being derived from the main spring of the clock, such as the maing spring 102 (Figure 6). It will be noted that this main spring is transmitting and applying torque in a right hand or clockwise direction. to the small 153, through the above described interengaging gearing.

Since this small gear 153 is loose on the fulcrum stud 147 and not directly connected with the valve-operating lever 146, which is also loosely .pivoted on its fulcrum stud 147, it is obvious that the clockwise torque on the small gear 153 will directly transmit and apply torque in the opposite or counter-clockwise direction to the planetary gear 158, as indicated by the arrow (Figure 16) Since this planetary gear 158 is in mesh with the locked upper gear wheel 159, it becomes evident that the counter-clockwise torque on the planetary gear 158 will exert a tendency to move the upper end of the valve-operating lever 146 towards the right as viewed in Figure 16, thereby applying power-multiplying torque in a clockwise or valve-closing direction to the valve-operating lever 146, whereby the lower end of this lever ;will be urged towards the left (Figure 16), for

holding the gas supply valve 39 closed. The force of this applied power of the timing clock, for holding the valve 39 closed, is received and borne by the locked upper gear wheels 159 and 161, as a thrust or strain thereon in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 16.

It will now be seen that the timing clockwill be locked or blocked against running by reason of the above described locked condition of the operating parts of the valve-operating mechanism, and that the timing clock will be thus restrained or locked against running so long as the two above described conditions are maintained, namely, that the locking lug 166 is in engagement with the teeth of the upper gear wheel 161, while at the same time the gas supply valve 39 is closed against its seat on the nipple 38. This represents the normal idle condition of this form of the coin controlled timed service device of my invention. The interconnected parts of the device which operate under coin control for causing the gas supply valve 39v to be opened and for at.

the same time starting the timing clock to running, will now be described.

A coin-operated lever 169 is pivoted, at an intermediate point along its length, at the front of the frame plate 146, on a pivot stud 170 which is mounted on this frame plate. Although this coin lever 169 is variously bent in other respects, it is shown as in effect constituting a substantially straight transversely extending lever of the first order or class. The end of the inner or left arm (Figure 16) of the coin-operated lever 169 is pivotally connected by a link 1'71 with the inner or left end of the locking lever 163, which extends beyond its locking lug 166. When the coin 28 is moved by the coin-pushing plunger 48, in the manner hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 15 inclusive, its upper edge similarly engages beneath and lifts the cam end 106, which in this instance is carried by the right hand end (Figure 16) of the coin-operated lever 169, where this cam end 106 similarly projects rearwardly beyond the rear face of the frame plate 143, through an opening 172 which corresponds with opening 110 in the first described main frame plate 16.

. The lifting of the cam end 106 of the coin-operated lever 169 by the advancing movement of the coin 28 draws downward upon the link 1'71 which pulls the locking lever 163 down against the force of its spring 167, thus shifting the locking l ug 166 downward to a position in which it is free from the teeth of the upper gear wheel 161, which thereby releases or sets free both of the two coupled wheels 159 and 161. This operated position of the locking lever 163, as well as also that of the coin-operated lever 169 is indicated by broken lines in Figure 16. It is to be here noted that neither of the coupled gears 159 and 161 has any operative connection with anything else excepting the permanent engagement of the planetary pinion 158 with the one gear 159 and the releasable. engagement of the locking lug 166 with the other gear 161.

It has already been noted that the timing clock is prevented from running by the joint blocking or looking function of the closed valve 39 andthe engaged locking lug 166, and in this embodiment of the invention the running of the timing clock is unrestricted and unhampered in any other way. Accordingly it is evident that it is necessary to release only one of the two above noted jointly acting locks in order to permit the clock to run. Therefore the instant that the locking lug 166 releases the teeth of the upper front gear wheel 161, the previously wound timing clock will begin running. The planetary gear 158 may now impart idle rotation to the intermeshed rear top gear wheel ,159. The running of the timing clock will now impart idle rotation to all of the gears in the above described train, beginning with the clockdriven gear wheel 148 and ending with the unlocked top front gear wheel 161. The directions of these idle rotations are indicated by the arrows in Figure 16.

It is also now to be noted that at this same above noted instant that the locking lug 166 has released the teeth of the upper front gear wheel 161, then the valve member 39 is released for free opening movement. That is because the released upper rear gear wheel 159 now not only permits idle rotation of the planetary gear 158 but also permits free swinging valve-opening movement of the valve-operating lever 146, which of course will be towards the right in Figure 16 for the long lower arm of this lever. It should be obvious that such a swinging movement of the valve-operating lever 146 would only idly superimpose further idle rotation upon the coupled upper gear wheels 159 and 161 in addition to that idly transmitted by the running clock, and in the same direction. Therefore the valve 39 is now free to be opened without hindrance.

Just as soon as'the valve-operating lever 146 has been thus set free, the gas supply valve 39 is immediately quickly and practically instantaneously opened by a stretchedretractile spring 173, which is shown as extending transversely with its inner or left end (Figure 16) connected to the, lower part of the valve-operating lever 146, while 15g the'ot'her or outer end of this spring is anchored to astud 1.74 on the frame plate 143. The extent of: the. opening movement of the valve. 39 and also of: the swinging movement of the valve-operating lever 146 are limited by an abutment stud. l'45-on the frame plate 143, to be abutted by this lever. Broken lines in Figure lfiidndicatethe position of.

the. valve-operating parts; from: the valves arm. 42: to the. swinging. lever 1 16: inclusive, in the openposition of the gas-supply.valve39;.

It has alreadyibeenxnotedithat in this particular valve-operating. mechanism, the closing. movement of the gas supplyvalve 39; istransmitted toit. directlyirom the timing. mechanism:oittheclock while this. clock. continues to It might be: here further noted, somewhat. in. advance, that: this. valve. 39 is closed. by; a. slow movement: im-- nected relation of. parts and features for: causing thei closing: of the gas supply. valve 39, for ter-- minatingthe service, willnowbe described.

It will be noted, as in the first described-wonstruction,.that. the. 24-hour. wheel 84. (which may have a different period if: soidesired) ,-by means of itstiming. pin 85,. operates a similar or. corresponding downwardly extending lever arm 86,

by meansofitsactuating arm S8. Similarly, this controls. the.

lever arm 86'; by means of. its lugi9ii,

operation-0t the coin stop .60, andialso in a similar manner, by meansot its lug 91., the coinejector.

'74.- However, with this particular lever arm 86, the transverselyprojecting. lower fingerv portion, which was.- utilized in. the first. described con.-

struction, has-now been omitted, by reasonof the fact that itspreviousiunctionis now'per-formed by other elements and in a different manner, in accordance with this modified construction. In this-latter construction, as that first described, the coin 28- will be discharged by. the ejector '74s substantially at: the :expirationof nineteen hours. However; inthe. present instance, since the finger: of the lever. arm. 86: has been camend l'flfi' ofthe coin-operatedlever 1.69, after the-coin-2fi hasbeeniejected; While the changes.

in-constr-uction'relate chiefly to thevalve-operating' mechanism, these changes involve further noted;

As soon as thecoin, metres 23, has beenejected from" beneath the 1 cam end 106, bythe-stretched -spring 167, acting upon thelocking lever 163, not onlyimmediately repositions the cam end 106to-its lower normal position, byv rocking the coin operatedlever 169 through-the locking lug 166:0f this locking lever 163 upward.

, into-lockingengagement with the teeth of the upper front gear wheel 161'. The locking of this wheel: 161* of course loclis its coupled mate 159. with which the planetary gear 153 is intermeshed; The gas supply valve 39 now. being. open, with its operating lever: 1'46 v at the broken line position shown in Figure. is,- the. timing; clock will continue tozr un since. thisilever- 1&6 is now free toswing-in a .clockwisevalve-closing direction. The timing clock mechanism; therefore immediately: begins to. closethe valve- 39, by acting through removed, there is now nothing to hold: up the.

,modification in operating parts, as has been.

the force exerted link 171; but' also at the. same time moves the the above described train offgearing inthedirection still indicated by the arrows in Figure 16. In this valve-closing operation, the planetary gear 158 will walk or travel towards the-right (Figure 16) over the teeth of the'upper rear locked gear wheel 159. This obviously moves the short upper oii thevalve-closing. lever 146 towards the right (Figure 1.6)- while its lower long arm is swung towards-.the lefit; thereby moving the open valve: 39-: towards its closed position, shown in full lines in Figure 16.v

The closing movement of: the gassupply valve 39is sl'ow andgradual by reason of the hereinbeforedescribed speed reducing power-multiplying functioningof 'the gear train, by which valveolosing movement is transmitted-irom the clockoperated gear148 to the stud' 157- on the upper end of the valva-operatinglever'146. The valve 39 will thus be closed against its seat on the nipple 38 within about four or five hours time. This slow closing movement of the valve 39 is an advantage, since the consequent diminution inthe flow of gas, whichbecomes noticeable only towards the very end of the period of service; serves asareminder torapprise the'userthat another coin controlled operation is required, should a further supply of gasbe desired at that time; Until close to; the end ofthe periodof" service. which in this instance istwenty-four hours, but may be varied; the supply of gas. will remain undiminished;

The modified construction-shown in-Figures-IB,

1'9 and 21. is simple and economical while it is entirely efiective, therefore I prefer this construction overthe. more complicated preceding forms.

The timing clock, whenrunning; drives-a 24- hourgear wheel 1-76 in-a clockwise direction as seen in Figure 18. This wheel, on a thickenedpor-tion thereof; is peripherally provided with an annular groove 1 7? the bottomiof which-forms a nearly complete circular track, which. is broken by a recess 178; the leading face of thiszrecess spring 183 having one of it's ends pivotedto this lever below its pivot 180 and having its other end anchored to ast'ud1184 on the platelfll towards the leftfromthis lever.

This three-armed operating lever 1'79- has an upstanding arm 185 which inclines inwardly to the adjacent periphery of thewhee1'176 and has an abrupt bill-shaped end which rides on the track formed by the groove 1'77; The free end of' this arm 185 is normally seated in the recess l'lfi'with its end adjacent the abrupt face of the latter, so as to ride. up. the inclinedface of this recess onto the track 177 whenthe wheel 1:76 is rotated.

The operating lever 179 has a downwardly extending valve-operating. arm. 186, the lower end- Of-TWhlCh has alongitudinally slotted pivotalconnection-witha pin-187 on the upper end .of an upstanding valve arm 188 which is fixed upon thevalve-shaft 43, whereby the-gas supply valve 39 is normally maintained in its closed position by the'spring 183, which also presses the upper lever The operating lever 179 arm 185 against the track 177 and into its recess 178.

The operating lever 179 has an intermediate coin-operated arm 189 extending laterally towards the right (Figure 18) and thus forming a bell-crank lever with each of the arms 185 and 186. This coin-operated arm is provided with the same cam end 106 as in the previously described constructions, by which it may be similarly lifted by a moving coin in the same manner. This arm also has a clock-controlling connection to the clock escapement for starting and stopping the clock similarly to the first described construction.

When a coin lifts this lever arm 189, the timing clock is immediately started to run, while at the same time the lower lever arm 186 operates to open the gas supply valve 39, and the 0nd of the upstanding lever arm 185 is moved out of the recess 178. When the used coin has been ejected from beneath the cam end 106 by the ejector 74, in the manner already described, the end of the upstanding arm 185 will then ride upon the track 177, the recess 178 having then moved away from the end of this latter arm.

Thus, after the coin has been discharged, the service valve 39 will still be held open and the clock will continue to run, While the clock continues to rotate the timing wheel 176.

When the timing wheel 176 has completed a single rotation, which occurs at the end of the predetermined period of service, which in this instance is twenty-four hours, the end of the upstanding lever arm 185, riding on the track at .the bottom of the groove 177, reaches the abrupt end face of the recess 178 and is impelled into this recess by the spring 183. This same action of the spring 183 instantly stops the timing clock. through the downward movement of the coinoperated arm 189, and also closes the gas supply valve 39 through the valve-closing movement, towards the left (Figure 18) of the valve-operating lower lever arm 186.

The further slightly modified or variant construction shown in Figure 20 operates in substantially the same way as the construction just described with reference to Figures 18 and 19. In Figure 29, the valve shaft 43 has a normally upright valve arm 190 fixed thereon, the upper end of which, by means of a pivot pin 191 and longitudinally slotted connection, is connected with the lower end of a normally vertical rocking controlling lever 192. which at an intermediate point along its length is fulcrumed on a pivot stud 193 mounted upon a supporting plate 194.

The upper end of the rocking lever 192 has a projecting rounded nose end or lug 195 which, with the gas supply valve 39 closed and the clock stopped, seats in a recess 196 in a circular track 197 on the periphery of a 24-hour gear wheel 198. A bell-crank lever having a transversely extending coin-operated arm 199 and an upper arm 208 is pivoted on a stud 201 on the plate 194,

and has its upper arm 200 pivotally connected similar timing pin 85. Also the 24-hour timing wheel 198 shown in Figure 20 carries a corresponding timing pin 853 which operates in like manner. Figure 21 shows the lever arm 86 which belongs to the construction illustrated in Figures 18 and 19.

Figures 19 and 21 show advantageous improvements in the means for manually operating the coin-pushing plunger 18. The improvements in this feature may be equally well and similarly applied to each of the perivously described embodiments or" my invention. In this construction, the coin-moving plunger 48 is pivotally connected by a transverse inwardly extending link 204 to the lower end of a long downwardly extending arm 285 oi a bell-crank lever having a shorter substantially transverse outwardly extending arm 206 and fulcrumed on a pivot stud 207 on the supporting plate 181 at the left of the coin chute 25 as viewed from the rear in Figure 21. A coiled extension spring 208 has one end connected, by means of a stud 209, to the longer lever arm 205 with its other end anchored to a stud 210 on the plate 181 at the right of the coin chute 25 (Figure 21). Thus this spring 208 will have a tendency to maintain the coin plunger 48 at its retracted or normal outer position, with the transverse arm 206 of the bell-crank lever at an elevated position, as shown in Figures 19 and 21.

The coin plunger 48 is operated in its coinpushing movement by means of a vertical manually depressible plunger or operating rod 211. the outer upper-end of which carries a button or knob 212 forming a finger piece. This operating rod 211 is shown as extending just at the right of the coin chute 25 where it is guided through a pair of similar brackets 213, 213, which are secured to the supporting plate 181. The lower end of this operating rod 211 hasa pivotal connection to the outer end of the transverse bell-- crank arm 266, whereby manual depression of the finger piece 212 will transmit inward coinpushing movement to the coin plunger 48, and when the coin plunger is set free to be returned or retracted by the spring 208 this spring at the sametime will restore the operating rod 211, together with its finger piece 212, to the upper normal position shown in the drawings. The downward movement of the depressible operating rod 211 has been found to be more convenient of operation than a plunger stem at the side.

Figures 22 to 26 inclusive illustrate a desirable modification in the coin controlled mechanism of the coin controlled timed service device of my invention. In this modification it is only necessary to operate the coin-pushing plunger 48 manually once in all, for moving the firstinserted lowermost coin, such as the coin 28, into operative position, in the same manner as hereinbefore described. After that the service rendered is automatically continuous indefinitely, so long as thereis a reserve supply of coins, such as the coins 21 i, 214, in the coin chute 25 and the timing clock is kept wound. This improved modification may be equally well employed with all of the previously described forms of my invention.

For the sake of clarity of understanding, it should be noted that the lower transverse tail arm or finger portion of the long depending or downwardly extending lever arm 86 is not required in carrying out some of the modifications, but is shown in Figures 22 and 23 for the reason that this finger extension. would be required in installing this modification on the first form of the device of my invention as described with reference 

